3 Reasons We Connect with Great Content

We interact with a ton of content on a daily basis. Of all the hundreds of articles I come into contact with on a daily basis, I skim over a dozen at best and actually read maybe a hand full. I'm not telling you anything new, we already know that catching a reader's attention is a bit like screaming across a stadium floor during a rock concert.

There is no magic recipe for making someone like your content. There are strategies and tactics by the hundreds, and there are best practices. Still, much of the time, even the best pieces of content don't get the attention they deserve.

catching a reader's attention is a bit like screaming across a stadium floor during a rock concert 

Beyond the typical must haves for great content - usefulness, share-ability, authenticity and brevity - readers are people and their behaviour is driven by emotion. So the question is, how does the best content make us think or feel?

Here are three different ways a good piece of content can reach the thoughts and emotions of your audience. 

Confirm existing beliefs

People love nothing more than to be told they are right. If you read an article that fits in with what you are already thinking, doing or feeling, it gives you a sense of being on the right track. It softens the self doubt that most of us experience on a daily basis. That doesn't mean that we as writers should tell people what they want to hear. It means there is value in communicating old ideas in a new way and making ourselves relatable. 

Be provocative

Personally, I love it when I come across an article that puts a twist on a mainstream idea or forces me to look at something differently. Not to mention, all you have to do is spend five minutes on your Facebook feed to see that controversy = traffic. Don't hold back ideas that are different or might get people riled up. Creating a conversation - the good, the bad, and the ugly - shows that your have your finger on the pulse of your industry. 

Tell your audience they aren't alone

Let's face it, with each passing minute we are becoming more disconnected from each other as humans. In some sick and twisted way, good content helps us feel connected. Whatever you are feeling, whatever problem you are trying to solve or whatever predicament in which you find yourself - someone else has been in your shoes at some point, guaranteed. Don't be afraid to write with pure naked honesty. 

Join the conversation. What is it about an article that makes you feel connected?

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Melissa is a professional writer with a background in psychology, environment, industry and Aboriginal relations. Based in Calgary, Alberta, her company Content Lime Communications specializes in digital projects, social media, web content and technical writing.